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Introduction to Crossroad’s Study of the Book of HebrewsWelcome to the Study
Welcome to Crossroad’s study of the book of Hebrews. This study is thoughtfully designed to be interactive, with a focus on encouraging everyone’s participation and engagement. Whether you are comfortable sharing or prefer to listen, your presence is valued, and there is no pressure to speak unless you wish to.
Facilitators and Structure
Our study will be guided by three facilitators: Neil Brown, Russel Dockendorf, and Tom Muirhead. Each facilitator will lead us through selected chapters of Hebrews, taking turns for three or four weeks at a time. This rotation will ensure a variety of perspectives and teaching styles throughout our time together.
Preparation and Participation
To help everyone come prepared, the facilitator for each session will send out a series of thoughts and questions one week in advance. These prompts are intended to jump-start our thinking and encourage deeper reflection on the passages we’ll be studying. They will provide brief insights into the verses, helping us engage more meaningfully with the text during our sessions. We encourage each participant to read the passage ahead of time and consider the questions, but sharing your insights is entirely voluntary. Remember, as the old song from the 70s says, “Silence is Golden”—there is absolutely no pressure to speak.
When, Where, and How We Meet
Meeting Time: Wednesday evenings, 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM, starting November 12.
Location: The Muirhead’s home, 36 Centennial Drive, Charlottetown, in the building’s Common Room on the first floor. Please enter off Belvedere Ave. Look for the blue building at the back.
Parking: Please park against our building’s wall only; there are six spaces available. If these are full, additional parking is available at the funeral home next door, directly adjacent to our lot.
Snacks: Coffee, tea, juice, and cookies, cake, or muffins will be provided. We invite everyone to take turns bringing snacks as you are able.
Each session will begin with 15 minutes to enjoy refreshments and casual conversation, followed by an opening prayer. We will then read the passage together, with different individuals invited to read, and move into an open discussion based on the facilitator’s comments or participants’ questions and thoughts. The study portion will conclude around 8:00 to 8:10 PM, after which we will spend time in group prayer for one another, our families, friends, church matters, or any concerns people feel comfortable sharing—again, participation is completely voluntary, and silence is always respected.
Communion: Beginning and Ending Our Study
On November 12, we will begin our time together with Communion, in the form of a shared supper. This will be a potluck meal, reminiscent of the early church’s practice following the Lord’s institution of Communion at His last Passover. This gathering will give us the opportunity to get to know one another, enjoy delicious food, and, most importantly, remember and honor our Lord Jesus as He asked us to do. If you feel led to contribute verbally during the meal—whether through a prayer, thanksgiving, a favorite verse, or sharing something the Lord has shown you—there will be an opportunity for that, all with the aim of offering praise and thanks to Jesus for who He is and what He has done for us. For these Communion gatherings, we will meet at 5:45 PM.
Study Schedule
Duration: The study will span 13 to 15 weeks, depending on weather, illness, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Pre-Christmas: November 12 – December 17
Post-Christmas: January 7 – February 25
Introduction to Hebrews
Author, Audience, and Title
The author of Hebrews does not identify himself by name, nor does he clearly designate his audience. The traditional title, “to the Hebrews,” reflects the longstanding belief that the original recipients were Jewish Christians. Throughout church history, there has been significant speculation about the author’s identity. Early attributions include names such as Barnabas and especially Paul. However, several prominent church fathers observed notable differences in literary style and argumentation between Hebrews and Paul’s recognized letters. Other possible authors, such as Clement, Luke, or Apollos, have also been suggested. Despite these theories, the consensus among most scholars today is that the author remains anonymous. Origen, who died around A.D. 254, expressed this uncertainty, stating, “Who actually wrote the epistle, only God knows.”
The author was personally acquainted with his readers and expressed a longing to be reunited with them (Hebrews 13:19). Both the author and the recipients shared a mutual friend in Timothy (13:23), and it is likely that this Timothy is the same individual who ministered alongside Paul. The use of a masculine participle in Hebrews 11:32 (“would fail me to tell”) suggests the author was male. Since the author includes himself among those who received the message of salvation from eyewitnesses (2:3), it appears he was not himself an eyewitness of Jesus. The letter also passes on greetings from those “from Italy” (13:24), leading to debate among scholars about whether the author was writing from Italy or to a church in Italy, possibly in Rome.
The audience’s circumstances can be inferred from several references. They are urged to remember those in prison and those who are mistreated (13:3), and Timothy himself had recently been released from captivity (13:23). The author commends his readers for their past endurance during persecution, their compassion for those in prison, and for having “joyfully accepted the plundering of your property” (10:32–34). There are warnings against “strange teachings” (13:9), possibly related to ritual foods (13:9–10), and repeated calls to persevere in the faith, warning of the dangers of leaving Christian fellowship. The author seeks to demonstrate the superiority of Christ over Mosaic sacrifices and rituals (chapters 3–10). Thus, the early church’s belief that Jewish Christians—along with Gentiles attracted to Judaism—were the intended recipients appears well-founded. This audience would have recognized the many Old Testament citations and allusions, often from the Greek Septuagint translation.
Date
Hebrews was almost certainly written in the first century, probably before A.D. 70. The mention of Timothy (13:23), who was active in the first century, and the influence of Hebrews on 1 Clement (written around A.D. 96) support this conclusion. A key issue in dating the book is whether the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in A.D. 70 had already occurred. The author refers to the Jewish sacrificial system as if it were still in operation (Hebrews 7:27–28; 8:3–5; 9:7–8, 25; 10:1–3; 13:10–11), which would be unlikely after the temple sacrifices had ceased. Although Hebrews focuses on the Mosaic tabernacle rather than the Jerusalem temple, if the author was arguing for the obsolescence of the Mosaic system, he likely would have referenced the end of temple sacrifices if that event had already happened.
Theme
The central message of Hebrews is that Christ is greater than any angel, priest, or old covenant institution. Therefore, every reader is urged not to abandon such a great salvation but to hold firmly by faith to the true rest found in Christ and to encourage others in the church to persevere.
Purpose, Occasion, and Background
Hebrews is an unusual book in terms of genre. It does not begin with a formal introduction or early indications that it is a letter, yet its concluding verses include greetings and blessings (13:23–25), and the author refers to having “written to you” (13:22). Additionally, the author describes his work as a “word of exhortation” (13:22). The book’s careful rhetorical structure and frequent practical exhortations have led many to view it as a single sermon or a “sermonic letter.”
Throughout Hebrews, the author encourages the audience to endure and warns against abandoning Christ (2:1–4; 3:7–4:13; 5:11–6:12; 10:19–39; 12:1–29). These warning passages are distributed throughout the book and share structural similarities, particularly in their exhortations and stated consequences. The argument of the book progresses around these warnings, which themselves arise naturally from the surrounding material. As a result, Hebrews is unified in both structure and intent.
The warning passages call participants in the church to remain faithful. The more expository sections of Hebrews demonstrate the superiority of Christ and his new covenant work over angels, Moses, the priesthood, and the sacrificial system. The implication is that these alternatives are so inferior to Christ that returning to them is pointless. Thus, the book urges the church to hold fast to its faith, since that faith is founded on the most superior revelation.
The need for such exhortations likely arose from the audience’s challenges as they endured persecution and the trials of life (for example, chapter 12). The readers seem to have become less attentive to Christian instruction (5:11–14), and some had stopped attending their gatherings regularly (10:25). Nevertheless, the author reminds them of their past faithfulness and love for one another during times of persecution (10:32–34), and he encourages their perseverance by carefully interpreting the Old Testament in light of Jesus Christ’s revelation.
The teaching on salvation in Hebrews is deeply rooted in its teaching about Christ. The Son of God became the heavenly high priest, offering himself as a once-for-all sacrifice. Christ secured salvation for all who approach God in faith (6:1; 11:6; cf. 4:2). This faith is characterized by perseverance until the promised eternal reward is received (6:12; 10:22, 38–39).
Key Themes
1. Jesus is fully God and fully man.
1:1–14; 2:5–18
2. Jesus as Son of God reveals God the Father, is the agent of creation, and sustains all creation.
1:1–14
3. Jesus serves as the eternal high priest, who as a man sympathizes with human weaknesses, and yet who offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin.
1:3; 2:10–18; 4:15–16; 9:11–10:19
4. Jesus is superior to angels, to Moses and the Mosaic covenant, and to the earthly tabernacle and its priesthood.
1:4–2:18; 3:1–6; 5:1–10; 7:1–10:18
5. All humanity faces eternal judgment for sin.
4:12–13; 9:27–28; 10:26–31
6. Faith is necessary to please God and to participate in his eternal salvation promises. Faith requires conviction about the unseen realities of God and his promises. Such faith produces perseverance.
4:2–3; 6:1, 12; 10:22, 38–39; 11:1–40
7. Perseverance is necessary in the Christian life, and thus church participants are warned against a lack of endurance.
2:1–4; 3:7–4:13; 5:11–6:12; 10:19–39; 12:1–29
8. God’s promises are trustworthy, including his promise of eternal salvation.
6:13–20
9. With the advent of Jesus Christ, the last days have begun, though they await consummation at his return.
1:2; 2:5; 4:9–11; 9:9–28; 12:22–29
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
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